SRINAGAR: For the first-time, government is going to set up green belt areas or buffer zones around the water bodies in Kashmir to curb illegal encroachment of land and preserve the habitat for long term management.
The official at Srinagar Development Authority said that setting up buffer zones will add aesthetic value to the area.
Chief town planner of SDA told Kashmir Reader that these buffer zones has been mentioned first time in the master plane, and it makes sense to propose buffer zones/green belts around each water body as ecotones in which vegetation is protected and maintained.
“Eco-tones would be preserved by restricting any form of construction from the lake periphery. Buffers are vital elements of watersheds and are essential to mitigate and control pollution from nonpoint sources,” she further said.
The Master Plan approved by government this year has set up the green belt areas for the water bodies in and around the city. These buffers will act as natural filters of toxins and would prevent erosion providing habitat for many species.
The greenbelt zones for Dal and Nigeen lakes from Dalgate and Nehru Park is 50 meters from the edge of the lake or building line and 100 meters from edge of the lake from Nishat Park to Nehru Junction and Naseem Bagh to Ashai Bagh Bridge.
Around 50 meters from western periphery of Dal Lake from Saidakadal to Dalgate. Around 20 meters from Telbal Nallah, Nallah Amir Khan and other tributary Nallahs that feed into the Lake including navigation and irrigation channels
As per the Master Plan, there will be 50 meters buffer zones from Lake fringe at Khushalsar and Gilsar, Phashakun Pampore, Sukhnag Nallah, Drangbal Nambal, Budsar, Rakhi Rabitaar, Sind Nallah, and Mirgund Jheel.
At Anchar Lake, Shalbug Nambal and Haran forests, there would be 200 buffer zones from south, north and west sides and 30 meters eastern side from Soura to Pandach area.
Similarly, at Hokarsar Wetland, it would be 200 metre from Sahriefabad to Narbal along south and west sides. At Nambal Narkur, it would be 100 meter from edge.
As per the Master Plan, green belts around wetlands, lakes and other water bodies shall be adequate to ensure that their functions are protected and maintained in the long term.
The buffer zone widths and management shall take into account the ecological functions of the water bodies. The potential impacts associated with the adjacent land use and other relevant factors including flood plain, it said.

NAZIMA SIDIQ